Turkey Meatball Rice Pilaf

If you don’t already know by now, I have a somewhat unhealthy obsession with meatballs and I’m always looking for ways to reinvent them. I’ve shared plenty a meatball recipe on the blog over the years and each and every one of them is like a child of mine. I can’t really pick a favorite but they’re all amazing. This time around I bring to you this Turkey Meatball Rice Pilaf. It’s a one-pot meal that is super comforting. I’ve had this recipe idea in my notes on my computer for the longest time. I almost didn’t post it yet because I feel like it’s a great Thanksgiving time recipe but honestly, I didn’t want to wait until then. Life is too short to wait around. Make it so that you can have a little bit of Thanksgiving on a plate in May. Nothing wrong with that.

To make the meatballs, in a large bowl, mix together the ground turkey, egg, bread crumbs, parmesan, parsley, a large pinch of salt and pepper and crushed red pepper flakes until evenly combined. Roll into 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a plate or baking sheet.

**Note: You can also make this same recipe with either ground chicken or beef! The meatballs can also be made ahead of time and kept in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days before browning.**

Set a large pot over moderate heat with the oil. Once hot, brown the meatballs in batches. We’re not looking to cook them fully at this point, just looking to get color on all sides. Transfer to a plate and continue browning the rest. Once all are done, set to the side.

Add butter to the skillet and add the onion and celery. Cook until just beginning to soften. Make sure to keep on eye on it so as to not burn or overly brown the veggies at this point.

Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms have begun to brown, about 5 to 8 minutes.

**Note: Give it a stir every once in a while but don’t worry too much about the browned bits at the bottom. That equals flavor!**

Stir in the rice, cranberries and pine nuts. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Cook long enough to toast the rice slightly.

**Tip: For added flavor, you can toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet beforehand to really develop their flavor. Pine nuts can sometimes break the bank and so sliced almonds would be great here as well!**

Add the chicken stock and then return the meatballs to the pot. Give it all a big stir and bring up to a simmer. Cover, lower the heat to the lowest setting, and cook until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and has softened, about 20 to 25 minutes. Uncover and stir in the fresh herbs.

If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, you can definitely swap them out last minute for dried herbs instead. Just keep in mind that dried herbs are more potent so less is key. I’d bump them all down to 1 teaspoon or 1/2 a teaspoon of each and add them to the pot when you add the stock so that the heat activates them a bit.

You can just give it all a big stir at the end and then it’s good to go, ready to serve. It’s great on it’s own but would be delicious with some roasted veggies or a simple salad on the side. The best thing is that it keeps really well and so leftovers are even better the next day.

If you’re looking for a one-pot wonder for a quick and delicious weeknight meal, then look no further because this rice pilaf is calling your name. Give it a try and let me know what you think below. Thank you so much for reading and following along!